Joss Whedon, writer and director of The Avengers and Avengers: Age of Ultron
Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye must work together as the Avengers to defeat Ultron, a technological enemy bent on human extinction, while encountering the powerful twins Pietro and Wanda Maximoff, as well as the new entity Vision.[173][174]
A sequel to The Avengers was announced by Disney in May 2012, shortly after the first film's release.[175] In August 2012, Joss Whedon was signed to return as writer and director.[113] In June 2013, Downey signed a deal to reprise the role of Iron Man for the second and third Avengers films.[176] On July 20, 2013, at San Diego Comic-Con International, Whedon announced that the subtitle of the film would be Age of Ultron.[177] In August 2013, James Spader was announced to portray Ultron.[178] Second unit filming began on February 11, 2014 in Johannesburg, South Africa.[179][180] Principal photography began in March 2014 at Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England,[176][181] with additional footage filmed at Fort Bard and various other locations in the Aosta Valley region of Italy,[182] and Seoul, South Korea.[183] Filming was completed on August 6, 2014.[184] Avengers: Age of Ultron had its world premiere in Los Angeles on April 13, 2015,[185] and was released internationally beginning April 22,[186] and on May 1 in North America.
The film confirms that the gem in Loki's scepter is an Infinity Stone, specifically the Mind Stone, and Brolin reappears as Thanos in the mid-credit scene wielding an Infinity Gauntlet.[188] It also features references to Vibranium and Wakanda, both connections to Black Panther, introducing both to the universe ahead of Black Panther's solo film. Additionally, Andy Serkis portrays Ulysses Klaue in the film, traditionally a Black Panther antagonist.
The film is set several months after the events of Avengers: Age of Ultron.[203] Scott Lang attempts to infiltrate the new Avengers headquarters in Upstate New York featured in Age of Ultron, and confronts Sam Wilson / Falcon, played by Anthony Mackie. McKay and Rudd decided to add Falcon to Ant-Man after watching Captain America: The Winter Soldier.[204] The Russo brothers filmed the post-credit scene, which was footage from Captain America: Civil War,[205][206] and features Mackie as Falcon, Chris Evans as Steve Rogers / Captain America, and Sebastian Stan as Bucky Barnes / Winter Soldier.
